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ACT parent company Bira responds to Prime Minister's 'Bobbies on the Beat' plan

11 Apr 2025

Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.
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ACT parent company Bira warns of 'Atrocious April' as shop price inflation rises

1 Apr 2025

Bira has voiced serious concerns over the latest figures from the BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index for March 2025.
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ACT parent company Bira says Spring Statement fails to address high street crisis

26 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has said the Chancellor's Spring Statement delivered today has failed to address the "perfect storm" of cost pressures facing independent retailers across the UK,... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira outlines key priorities ahead of Spring Budget

25 Mar 2025

ACT parent company Bira has outlined its key priorities ahead of the Chancellor's Spring Budget statement.
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Bristol-based cycling charity Life Cycle now offering Cytech training courses

20 Mar 2025

Cytech, the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle mechanics, have partnered with Bristol-based charity Life Cycle to offer a range of bicycle mechanic... Read more…

High street 'death knell' – indie retailers, including cycle shops, shutting doors ahead of April tax rises

12 Mar 2025

Towns and cities across Britain are already seeing a wave of closures as independent businesses shut their doors ahead of April’s triple tax burden, including those in the cycling retail... Read more…

Research shows UK businesses hiring more as consumer confidence lifts

5 Mar 2025

New research has revealed a recent uptick in UK consumer confidence, leading to increased hiring by businesses, with the retail sector responding positively to signs of economic resilience.
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Independent cycle shop becomes first retailer to stock new local bike brand

28 Feb 2025

Independent cycling retailer and ACT member Velo Fit has become the first to stock a new brand of bikes focused on combining quality and affordability.
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Bira cautiously welcomes new crime and policing bill to tackle retail crime across high street businesses

26 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has cautiously welcomed Labour's Crime and Policing Bill but is calling for urgent action and immediate funding to address the surge in retail crime affecting independent... Read more…

Bira warns of 'troubled times ahead' despite interest rate cut

7 Feb 2025

ACT parent company Bira has warned that retailers across Britain face troubled times ahead despite today's Bank of England interest rate cut to 4.5%, as the Bank halves its growth forecast for... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira responds to Prime Minister's 'Bobbies on the Beat' plan

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

ACT parent company Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.

Police Sign

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira
Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, said: "We cautiously welcome the Prime Minister's recognition that shoplifting and antisocial behaviour have 'wreaked havoc on our neighbourhoods' and his plan to address this through visible policing. The announcement of named local officers and guaranteed patrols are positive measures that address our members' concerns.

"However, the timeline for recruiting 13,000 more officers by 2029 remains far too slow when independent retailers are suffering from an epidemic of retail crime right now.

"Our recent research indicates a deeply concerning trend in retail crime, with the majority of independent retailers experiencing theft in the past 12 months. Even more worrying is that most report the situation has deteriorated compared to last year, with theft incidents increasingly occurring during opening hours, showing growing boldness from offenders.

"The Prime Minister's commitment to ending the 'postcode lottery' of policing resonates with our members, who report vastly different experiences across regions. Some areas receive excellent police support while others see virtually none. However, this disparity needs addressing now, not by 2029.

"While Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's statement that 'too many communities have been feeling abandoned as crime soared and neighbourhood police disappeared' accurately reflects our members' experiences, we remain concerned about funding. Without proper resources, these promises of increased neighbourhood policing risk becoming empty words," he said.

"The government's focus on putting 'prevention back at the heart of policing' is the right approach, but independent retailers cannot wait four years for protection. They need 'bobbies on the beat' in their communities now. The Retail Crime Plan was launched in September 2023, and after 18 months it is hard to see much difference at shop level."

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